In his memory, local firefighters turned out in record numbers and reached new heights in fundraising at the 11th annual Firefighters Stairclimb Challenge in Calgary on June 8.
A team of 22 Cochrane firefighters, including town CAO Mike Derricott, took part in the climb, honouring Jeffries with every step as they ascended the 1,370 stairs of the 57-storey Brookfield Place in modified firefighting gear.
Fuelled by the community’s deep admiration for Jeffries, the Cochrane team emerged as the event’s top fundraisers, collecting $24,047 — a total that continues to grow. They also recorded the fastest team time.
The tribute comes just ahead of the first anniversary of Jeffries’ sudden passing on June 27, 2024. He was diagnosed with cancer and died one week later.
Jeffries joined the Cochrane Fire Service just shy of his 19th birthday and served the community for nearly 32 years. He was 53.
His widow, Paula, says the fire department has been like family, supporting her and their two daughters through a difficult year.
“They’ve been an amazing support system for myself and the girls,” she said. “We would have been lost without them. They were checking in on us, making meals, stopping by, texting to see how we are. For them to still honour Huw a year later means a lot. They really pulled the team together — it was great.”
Paula attended the stairclimb and said she received heartfelt support from firefighters and families from other departments. Many were moved by the commemorative T-shirt made in Jeffries’ honour, featuring his signature flat top and moustache.
“It had his name on the side, along with his birth and death dates. People asked about him. It was nice just to talk to strangers and connect with them about possible workplace cancer.”
Chris Chyka, president of the Cochrane Firefighters Association, thanked the community for their continued support and tribute to Jeffries.
"Hopefully he's looking upon us with a bit of a smile to see how much support he actually had throughout this event. It means the world means for everyone that supported us, and I want to say thank you. We couldn't have achieved greatness without Huwe and without the community behind it. For all the time that he gave, the community certainly responded well and gave back."
For Chyka, his 11th climb felt different this year.
“I felt a little lighter yesterday,” he said. “I don’t know if I had a little help going up there, but I felt a little bit lighter. I worked with him for 10 years. With our shifts, we spent a lot of time together. We had a very normal relationship — and that’s what I loved about it.”
Just like family, you can get on each other's nerves, but you also share plenty of laughter.
"One thing he did was bring us all together. He did not like us being spread apart. He liked the camaraderie. He would get us together at Christmas time for platoon meals, or the beer tastings we went to or the whiskey tastings. We did a lot of things together, and a lot of that was his way to keep us all together; to strengthen that teamwork and that camaraderie."
Huw was well-known throughout southern Alberta as a trainer for smaller fire departments and with the Calgary Regional Emergency training group, better known as CREST G.
“Huw did a lot of training, which is why he touched so many lives,” explains Chris Chyka of the Cochrane Firefighters Association.
“He taught us gun safety courses, he taught us how to cook. Certainly, he taught us the theory of firefighting, but he also taught us the spirit of firefighting as well. He was all-encompassing.”
Paula recalls the days when pagers were used to alert firefighters.
“It didn’t matter what we were doing. He was like, ‘Gotta go,’ and he’d head out. Yeah, he loved it. He loved the camaraderie they used to have back in the day at the old hall.
“We’d go down there on a Saturday and all the kids would be running around playing on bikes, and they’d be washing the trucks. It was like family. I mean, things have certainly changed over the years, but back then, that was our main support system with the fire family — and he loved it. We loved it.”
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It’s the 11th time the event has been held in support of Wellspring Alberta and to raise awareness about cancer’s toll—particularly among firefighters, who face an elevated risk due to toxic exposures on the job.
According to research commissioned by the Canadian government, cancer accounts for more than 85 per cent of duty-fatality claims among Canadian firefighters, based on workers’ compensation data. Firefighters have a 9 per cent higher risk of a cancer diagnosis, and a 14 per cent higher risk of dying from cancer than the general public.
Wellspring provides free cancer support programs to patients, caregivers and families. With cancer research and treatment always in the spotlight, Chyka says the support services don’t get the recognition they deserve.
“The support services that Wellspring provides like psychological care, nutrition, physiotherapy just don’t get the same type of limelight.
“People going through active treatment for cancer—we’ve seen it many times—a strong support system helps with a strong recovery. That’s where Wellspring comes in with its supportive nature, because they don’t just support the person, they also support the families. It takes a lot of money to run those support programs, and that’s why we feel it’s important to have those services available.”
He says the likelihood of firefighters developing cancer is extremely high due to carcinogens they’re exposed to, from foams and plastics to various chemicals used in homebuilding materials.
The stairclimb has hit its $350,000 target, and donations continue to be accepted. It has raised more than $2.5 million and draws participants from across Canada, the United States and around the globe.